1999 R1100S starting issue will bump start, but no starter using start button

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1999 R1100S starting issue will bump start, but no starter using start button

Its been working great til this AM. Went for short ride, and pulled in for gas. When I tried to start it, all the lights looked good, it sounded like the starter made a click like it does, then nothing... It looked like I had good power based on light brightness, turn signals winking, etc.. Just no start. So, I rolled it a bit, jumped on clicked it into 2nd gear, and it fired right up and I made it back to the house.

Got home, put it back on the battery tender, after a few minutes light goes green... Turn on the key, hit the starter button, lights dim, hear the starter clicked.... then that is all she wrote, no start...

I've never been a big fan of the "throw parts at it until it works" system of diagnostics.

could be a dragging starter motor, but bad batt is a likely culprit as well. pull the batt and have it load tested at an auto parts store. also, pretty easy to pull starter motor to have it looked at as well.

I've never been a big fan of the "throw parts at it until it works" system of diagnostics.

could be a dragging starter motor, but bad batt is a likely culprit as well. pull the batt and have it load tested at an auto parts store. also, pretty easy to pull starter motor to have it looked at as well.

UPDATE*
I went out and hit the starter button, no start, but you could hear the initial "bump" from the starter motor. I hit the starter button two more times, same thing... Then I hit the starter button, and it fired right off no problem, and has continued to start every time Ive tried...

The battery appears to be relatively new (This bike is a recent purchase.)

Check the cable connections at the battery and at the starter looking for corrosion and for tight connections. Be very careful that when you loosen or tighten the connections you do not touch any other steel parts as you turn the wrench.

If the starter isn't new, I'd take it off the bike and take it apart.
It isn't that hard of a job.
You can clean up the innards and check to see if the magnets are still attached.
Or you can just buy a new one.
Getting stuck by the side of the road is no fun.

If the starter isn't new, I'd take it off the bike and take it apart.
It isn't that hard of a job.
You can clean up the innards and check to see if the magnets are still attached.
Or you can just buy a new one.
Getting stuck by the side of the road is no fun.

I second this approach. There is also a cover over the planetary gears inside the starter which can get magnetically pulled onto the armature causing the same problem as the magnets--binding the rotor.

If the starter isn't new, I'd take it off the bike and take it apart.
It isn't that hard of a job.
You can clean up the innards and check to see if the magnets are still attached.
Or you can just buy a new one.
Getting stuck by the side of the road is no fun.

Yeah, it does kinda screw up your ride... Although bump starting it wasn't a big deal. Haven't done that in a LONG time. BUT, it seems to be working fine... FOR NOW.

It kind of sounds like one phase of the armature winding cooked on you. The only way to know for sure is take it to a place that has a growler to test. It could be just wonky brushes but a seized armature doesn't sound likely because it wouldn't turn at all. A couple tricks for getting the starter to turn is to engage the solenoid and smack the starter with a hammer, gently, kind of like you are tapping in finishing nails. Sometimes, you can turn the engine crankshaft a bit and by virtue of the helix on the starter drive, it will bounce the armature a bit to a spot that will allow the starter to turn.

It takes about 150 amps to turn a healthy oilhead and about 30 amps to engage and turn the starter with free running amps dropping to about 10 amps. The solenoid only has the pull in winding it should be less than 5 ohms. The contact striker in the solenoid can develop chatter marks that looked like burn marks and generally, if you see those, give up.

Valeo was one manufacturer and if you have a Valeo part number, they interchange with a wide variety of vehicles. Last one I bought for a friend was listed as fitting a Geo Metro and it was $80.00 CDN. Most rebuild shops should be in the forty buck range provided the armature isn't finished

1997 R1100RT (Restored Basket Case) , 1981 KZ 440 LTD (Restored Basket Case)
1986 K75S(the beutch), 1993 K1100RS (blown engine), 1997 Chev Short Box (4x4 with an LT1)
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him."

Might want to check both battery cable connections at the starter solenoid as well. A small (almost not noticeable) amount of corrosion on a properly tightened connection there caused the same type problem for me. Cleaned both those terminal cable connectors and no problems since. Can also short across those two connectors temporarily to see if starter turns engine over----just make sure bike is NOT in gear first. If starter turns, then you have narrowed the problem down to the solenoid itself, connections there, or possibly no "start" signal to operate the solenoid. Good luck!